With increasing development of computing technologies and networking technologies, the services and functions provided through networks are gradually increased. A data center is a facility used to house computers or servers. For providing intensive network applications, the number of computers or servers of the data center is gradually increased. Generally, a plurality of devices are accommodated within a rack cabinet of the data center in a hot-swappable manner. In addition, the data center may comprise a plurality of rack cabinets. For providing more services and functions, the number of devices within the data center is increased. Consequently, power supply, power distribution and power management become important issues. Conventionally, in the rack cabinet of the data center, a power distribution unit is used to distribute power among the devices.
When AC power (e.g. utility power) is received by the rack cabinet, the AC power is transmitted from the power distribution unit to all devices within the rack cabinet. Each device has a power supply unit for receiving the AC power and converting the AC power into DC power, thereby powering circuitry of the device. Moreover, if one of the devices within the rack cabinet is suffered from breakdown or shutdown, the power distribution unit is responsible for stopping providing power to all devices within the rack cabinet. Consequently, the device which is suffered from breakdown or shutdown may be resumed.
However, since the device has the power supply unit, the volume of the device is relatively bulky. Moreover, since the inner space of the rack cabinet is limited, the number of devices accommodated within the rack cabinet is restricted by the volume of the device. Moreover, since the power supply unit is disposed within the device, the heat-dissipating efficacy is usually unsatisfied. Moreover, if any device within the rack cabinet is suffered from breakdown or shutdown, it is necessary to stop the power distribution unit from providing electric power to all devices of the rack cabinet. In other words, the electric power to the device which is suffered from breakdown or shutdown cannot be stopped individually. Under this circumstance, the utilization flexible of the rack cabinet is impaired. Moreover, for manually removing the device which is suffered from breakdown or shutdown and resuming the device, the worker has to move the data center to successively check all devices of the rack cabinet. After the device which is suffered from breakdown or shutdown is searched, the user may start repairing or resuming the device. In other words, the way of maintaining or resuming the device of the rack cabinet is time-consuming and labor-intensive.
For reducing the volume of the device and enhancing the heat-dissipating efficacy of the device, a power shelf is installed in the rack cabinet and the power distribution unit is omitted. The power shelf is used for converting AC power into DC power and transmitting the DC power to all devices of the rack cabinet. Under this circumstance, it is not necessary to install the power supply unit in each device. Consequently, the volume of the device is reduced, and the heat-dissipating efficacy of the device is enhanced. Since the power shelf does not have the function of controlling power to one or more devices, if the device within the rack cabinet is suffered from breakdown or shutdown, the user may manually remove the device which is suffered from breakdown or shutdown and resume the device. Similarly, the way of maintaining or resuming the device of the rack cabinet is time-consuming and labor-intensive.
Therefore, there is a need of providing a device management module, a remote management module and a device management system in order to eliminate the above drawbacks.